have I just died and gone to heaven? that is unbelievable, the most beautiful thing I have seen since, well, the last most beautiful thing I saw! really though, a bigger picture would be more than welcome!

Storm Shadow wrote:Although the Collings Me-262 has scrubbed, at least Dean Cutshall's F-100F Super Sabre arrived today, and made several great passes before landing:

Hugh

Hugh,

Great shot of Dean Cutshall's F-100F. I saw him display her at the Indianapolis Airshow in 2008. Very nice!!!

I attended this show for many years when I lived in the Michigan and Illinois. It is one of THE BEST shows in the US. Mike Luther, Tom and Kevin Walsh along with all the organizers from the Yankee Air Museum always put on a fantastic show at Thunder Over Michigan. Good luck to them this year on their Gathering of Fortresses and Legends - The Final Mission theme. Sure wish I was there this weekend.

Look forward to more of your photos from Thunder Over Michigan 2010. Looks like the weather gods are smiling on Willow Run this weekend!!!

Sea King wrote:Would be good to see more photos once the weekend is over!

That's for sure! I'd like to know how many B-17's turn up and which ones?

Alex,

Here is a portion of the aircraft list from Thunder Over Michigan website that lists the visiting B-17's. I have seen photos of "Sentimental Journey, Texas Raiders, Liberty Belle, Thunderbird and of course Yankee Lady already on the ramp there at Thunder. Should be a great show. I saw the Thunder over Michigan 2005 airshow when there was 9 B-17's there. It was fantastic when they made a loose formation fly over to end the show on both Saturday and Sunday.

How about something like that over here in the UK? To my knowledge, not since the end of World War II has that many B-17's been over here in the UK at one time. If you ever get a chance to see a Thunder Over Michigan airshow at Willow Run, MI, do it. It is quite an experience. They always put on a great show.

By the way, I was also here for the last B-17 gathering, in 2005, and I am sure that there were 'only' eight B-17s present/flying then, though I think there were some different ones. This time, as I understand, 'Chuckie' was not fully airworthy, and 'Fuddy Duddy' was kept in California.

The same pattern was used in the previous airshow, with the bombers flying the 'racetrack', then a 'mass approach' head-on from across the airfield, but with the aircraft spread out (difficult for the pilots to practice formation flying!). Finally a 'missing man' formation of three B-17s and the P-51, which pulled up and out of formation to leave the three B-17s to fly overhead. In 2005 I'm sure the 'missing man' had four B-17s, with one pulling up.

Perhaps, in another four or five years, it might be possible to have over 12 B-17s at Willow Run?

We had 5 flying B17s at RAF Binbrook when filming "Memphis Belle" I think there was just 8 airworthy examples then. There where also several "cut-outs" these were artworked flat plywood full size mock-ups.

I stand corrected. You are correct. There were only eight B-17s at the 2005 Thunder Over Michigan airshow. I miscounted the B-17G "Aluminum Overcast" She was not there at Thunder that year. She was being repaired after her post landing accident at Van Nuys Airport in California in May 2004.

Too bad that "Chuckie" and "Fuddy Duddy" could not make this one. Glad to see the Commemorative Air Force has got their B-17G "Texas Raiders" back on the circuit again after a lengthy restoration.

It would be great to see 12 B-17s back in the air again. I would definitely make plans to attend that show! It would be so nice if the Sally B Foundation could send the "Sally B" over to join them for that show.

With the news that that Commemorative Air Force has now got the B-29 "Fifi" back flying again, can you imagine once again seeing all the heavy bombers of World War II back in the air at the same time. Wouldn't that make a great heritage shot? Maybe the Thunder Over Michigan organizers can work on that one for an upcoming show in the next few years.

Great photos Hugh. Please keep the coming.

Lance

Last edited by lanemiker on Sun 08 Aug 2010, 12:57 pm, edited 7 times in total.

We had 5 flying B17s at RAF Binbrook when filming "Memphis Belle" I think there was just 8 airworthy examples then. There where also several "cut-outs" these were artworked flat plywood full size mock-ups.

Nigel,

That's right. What a great film that was! One part in the movie showed the ball turret gunner test firing his guns. My wife's Dad was a ball turret gunner on a B-17G based in Chelveston with the 305th Bomb Group from September 1944 until February 1945. He flew 35 missions during that time. He recently passed away at 90 years old. That scene gave her an idea what it was like when her Dad was firing his guns.

Lance

Last edited by lanemiker on Wed 20 Apr 2011, 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Here is a portion of the aircraft list from Thunder Over Michigan website that lists the visiting B-17's. I have seen photos of "Sentimental Journey, Texas Raiders, Liberty Belle, Thunderbird and of course Yankee Lady already on the ramp there at Thunder. Should be a great show. I saw the Thunder over Michigan 2005 airshow when there was 9 B-17's there. It was fantastic when they made a loose formation fly over to end the show on both Saturday and Sunday.

Thanks for that. I've seen all of them at one time or other except for Liberty Bell. There were four of them at Oshkosh the other last week and I thought that was pretty good, but eight is exceptional!